Candida

CANDIDA ALBICANS: FRIEND OR FOE? There is a little known and usually harmless parasite who lives everywhere, including in the human body. It has received more attention in the past few years because it is found that, in a number of cases, this parasite can do great harm to the human body. The parasite is a yeast called Candida albicans and is the focus of this research paper. Because it is a warm, moist nourishing place in which to live, the human body is host to millions of different microorganisms. Any organism is lucky to live in this house. It gets a comfortable rent, heat, hot water, lots of good food and medicine and a friendly chemical environment, all paid for by the host body. The comfortable living could, however, change at the parasites home. Change occurs because the host body changes its regime for reasons such as illness, different food and drink habits, medicines, physical, emotional or mental stress or the chemicals it lives around, breathes in or ingests. The microorganism is apt then to change its species, requirements, body habitat site, number of family members and living habits. Parasites can be beneficial and harmless and for the most part that's the way things are. If the parasites start to change their habits, adapt and proliferate, the human immune system will pursue them, control them, keep them in a non threatening position. If the immune system fails to do its job of cleaning up the mess Candida makes, the yeast will start playing havoc on the body it inhabits. Some things we do, eat or lack supports the onslaught of Candida. These include; a diet of sweets and junk food; tobacco smoke; alcohol; toxic chemicals; not enough rest; a fatty diet; underconsumption of essential nutrients; low fiber; stress in general. The Twentieth Century life style encourages the development of a human body that is friendly to Candida. It is a life style that is full of stress, follows a diet of processed, fried and sweet foods and dependence on medicines such as antibiotics, steroids and oral contraceptive pulls. The every day contact, breathing in and ingestion of chemicals is impossible to avoid. Enter Candida albicans. Candida albicans is now receiving more attention and research because it undermines our health in ways that are just beginning to be recognized. Usually our bodies have several lines of defense against Candida. These include our skin, our immune system and competition from the other microorganisms in our bodies. Candida colonies usually are low in numbers and are not generally invasive enough to compromise our health. Being a yeast, Candida lives and breathes and exudes its own toxins. Candida, in fact, can make and release to our systems, 79 known toxins. If Candida becomes too strong for the immune system to handle, the yeast changes form and shape. It develops a hair like root system with which to reach out into its environment. The yeast toxins will cross membrane barriers and leave the usual home in the mouth, intestines or vagina and will take up residence in other organ systems or body parts. Candida goes wherever it can find a comfortable spot to settle. Once it finds a comfortable home it starts undermining that healthy system. It makes sure it gets all its needs met first; the host body gets the leftovers. Some physical signs that can indicate an overabundance of Candida in the body include: weight gain/weight loss; hair loss/hair growth; itches, rashes, acne, or psoriasis; constipation/diarrhea, gas bloating or colitis; blurred, erratic, failed vision, or chronic inflammation of the eyes; sore or bleeding gums, dry mouth, blisters, rash or bad breath; muscle or joint, stiffness, pains, paralysis or swelling; dizziness, loss of balance; insomnia/excessive sleeping; fatigue; headaches/migraines; irritability; wide mood swings; depression; lethargy; chronic sinusitis; chronic cystitis or kidney infections; prostatitis, impotence and loss of interest in sex. This is a list of just some of the symptoms that show up as chronic problems in people with Candida albicans (infection, Candidiasis). Children can be infected with these symptoms and have yet other particular symptoms including; colic, hyperactivity, learning difficulties, recurring ear infections, craving for sweets and rage when the sweets are not forthcoming. The mother's birth canal harbors this pest and baby may get an overexposure to it during the passage through the birth canal. Some of the diseases that may be related to or affected by Candida albicans yeast are; athlete's foot, Crohn's disease, Hodgkin's disease, lupus erythematosus, arthritis, myasthenia gravis, autism, alcoholism, anorexia nervosa, bulimia, multiple sclerosis and drug addiction. Researchers are beginning to do more work in these diseases that affect the bodies' chemical balance and/or immune system. Candida albicans is generally regarded as a "women's" disease which goes by the name "vaginitis". Under this name it is considered to be mainly a nuisance. To women affected, however it is a constant battle. Trying various creams, doctors, treatments and preparations to control the constant flare ups of the infection takes a toll in time, energy and finances. There is also the possibility that continual Candidiasis infections play a role in infertility problems. Television advertisements advertise creams that now can be bought without a prescription, over the counter. The promise is that they will cure the problem. Unfortunately these cream cure symptoms not the dysbiosis that is going on in the body. People are actually being warned by their bodies that an existing health condition requires their attention. A lot of work is involved in ridding ones' body of the constant and changing symptoms that are being caused by Candidiasis. Life changes that must be made include: change the environment, make things uncomfortable for the Candida; cut off its food supply; stop growth promotion; power up the immune system. These are difficult but extremely worthwhile changes in life style. If you are constantly in a state of feeling "yucky" and keep presenting various and annoying physical problems, it could be worth investigating whether Candida may be your problem. An evaluation of your past illnesses, medicine habits, diet, emotions and rest habits should be done by yourself and a knowledgeable health practitioner. You should always rule out any other medical problem since Candidiasis can present symptoms that are similar to other dis-eases. In recent years, a new method of making the diagnosis has been developed. This involves having a complete analysis of a stool sample, one which includes tests for Candida and other microorganisms. For this you definitely must find a supportive health professional. I have found that most practitioners in alternative health services have knowledge of the condition. Once the diagnosis is in the real project begins, that of making the journey down the road to HEALTH. The journey should by taken down the Holistic trail because changes are probably required in all three aspects of your life; body, mind and spirit. Much of what you have done in life has let this condition come about; your diet, your lack of attention to your body and its warnings, your reaction to life's stress, your desire to blame outside influences for your problems, your habit of trying to relieve all life's strains and upsets by swallowing miracle preparations that promise constant and final relief. It has been a constant cycle; you get Candidiasis; you have ever changing but constant dis-ease; this drains your emotions; life's little ups and downs become major problems; resulting stress upsets your body chemistry; you turn to different medicines, food, drink trying to effect a cure. You can start anywhere in the cycle but it's the question of what comes first - the chicken or the egg? The first important change is in the diet. Some of the rules to follow in planning your menu items are: avoid sugar (in any form); avoid alcohol; avoid fruit (fresh, dried, canned) in the first 2 weeks; avoid dairy; dump leftovers; avoid yeast containing foods; avoid fast food; avoid moldy foods (like mushrooms). Getting rid of all sugar in your diet is a great challenge because it is in so many foods. Avoid fresh or dried, and all canned or frozen anything, vegetables or fruit and of course cakes, pastries, candy, soft and juices is a difficult road to stay on. As you proceed with the campaign and start feeling better, you will cautiously re-introduce foods, evaluating the results carefully. Avoiding wheat, especially in bread, is another challenge. You don't have to worry about wheat in any other baked goods since you can't have anything with a sugar. There are two brands of rye bread, in health food stores, which have absolutely no wheat in them. I have seen quite an increase of frozen and/or packaged foods in health food stores in the year and a half I have been aware of the Candida problem. The labeling of many more foods are stating that the food contains no yeast, no wheat, no sugar, no chemicals. This is a sign that many more people are becoming aware of their Candida problems and taking control of their treatments. This diet sounds very constricting but when you realize that there is something that can be done in order to start feeling better it is immediately started. No challenge is insurmountable. An added PLUS is when the weight problem you've had for the last few years starts getting under control and you watch the weight melting off. The use of grapefruit extract as an antibacterial, antifungal agent was discovered a few years ago. This extract is used to attack the Candidiasis in the gut. Before this extract came into use Nystatin was the drug use d to kill off the Candida. Absorption of Nystatin was not very thorough in the bowel, however, so little reached the bloodstream. Grapefruit extract is good for cleaning the gut and it also is good to use to wash your fresh vegetable and fruit in it. In taking this action replacement of the Lactobacillus flora that the Candida has knocked completely out of your intestines is a must. Lactobacillus is a friendly bacteria that lives in intestines. It helps with the breakdown of food and in the synthesis of B vitamins. Lactobacillus is also the main enemy of the Candida. When steroids and antibiotics kill off the Lactobacillus, which they will because it is a bacteria, the Candida, being a yeast and unaffected by the antibiotics, can have the house to itself and prosper. An important part of this project is in your evaluation of your progress and health. Adjustment of the Botanical supplements are done as you notice changes in your body and health and adjust for the changes as necessary. It is called GETTING CONTROL OF YOUR OWN HEALTH. Vitamins and minerals are an important part of the campaign to control your health and body. The immune system breakdown was instrumental in allowing the invasion. The Candidiasis interfered with proper use of your foods and the nourishment the food would have given you. Therefore your body has not made adequate and proper use of vitamins and minerals. Because of this you need to pay close attention to those areas of your body that have been deprived of their repair ability during this invasion. The aim is to get them replenished. A campaign to rebuild the immune system is needed. Since digestion and absorption had been insufficient for a while the body had not had the requited substances for use in building and repair. It takes experimentation, investigation and listening to your own body to decide upon the exact vitamins, minerals and supplements your body needs. Some of the essential nutrients required by the body in order build up the immune system are: a good Multivitamin; a good quality protein supplement; B complex; Vitamin C; Beta Carotene; Vitamin E; a Calcium and Magnesium supplement; Zinc; a large amount of fiber. The spirit needs adjustment since this condition is either a contributor to or a result of a weakened body. As your health deteriorated, your mind and spirit lacked the energy and joy in life to keep in good order. Another possibility is that the weakened mind and/or spirit are what came first and allowed the Candida to get hold of the body. This is a perfect example of how the mind/body/spirit complex is entirely in charge of how you travel through this lifetime. BIBLIOGRAPHY Baker, Sherry "An Epidemic In Disguise". OMNI March 1985. Chaitow, Leon, Candida Albicans, Rochester, Healing Arts, 1985. Crook, William G., The Yeast Connection, Jackson: Professional Books, 1983. Lorenzani, Shirley S. Candida, New Canaan; Keats, 1986. Miller, Bruce, The Candida Connection, Shaklee Corp. AV. Villarosa, Linda. "Is It Yeast?", Essence, August, 1982.